Door latch operating apparatus



May 26, 1959 J. D. LESLIE ETAT 2,887,866

DooR LATCH OPERATING APPARATUS Filed sept. 24, 195e v 8 sheets-sheet 1 if 7,4! INVENTORS f c/rmes .9. h/88? A TOP/V94' May 26, 1959 J. D. LESLIE ET AL DOOR LATCH OPERATING APPARATUS l Filed sept. 24. 195e 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 26, 1959 J. D. LESLIE l-:T AL 2,887,366

DOOR LATCH OPERATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS United States Patent O 2,887,866 DOOR LATCH OPERATING APPARATUS James D. ljeslie, Birmingham, and Henry J. Wubbe, Royal Oak, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application September 24, 1956, Serial No. 611,513 8 Claims. (Cl. 70-153) This invention relates to door latch operating apparatus, and more particularly to a handle assembly for an automobile door.

One feature of the invention is that it provides improved door latch operating apparatus; another feature of the invention is that it provides a construction in which the locking pawl for the latch forms a bearing slidably supporting the push button operating rod; still another feature of the invention is that the locking pawl is mounted in a support ring having bayonet type interlocking means which provide a swivel bearing for the pawl and at the same time prevent axial movement thereof to retain the pawl in the handle housing; and yet another feature of the invention is that it provides a construction which may be used in different types of handle assemblies with only slight modifications.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile in which the improved door latch operating apparatus is used in the outer door handles;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing the front door handle assembly;

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 through the front door handle assembly;

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View showing the latch operating parts in exploded relation;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6--6 of Fig. l and showing a modified form of handle assembly particularly adapted for use in rear doors;

Fig. 7 lis a detail View taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modiedform of the invention;

Patented May 26, 195.9

mounting a bell crank for engagement by the push rod to release the latch. In dierent installations Where the push rod directly engages the latch, the same general structure -may be employed merely by not utilizing the bracket portion of the support ring and the bell crank. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 10 is an automobile having a front door 12 which is hingedly mounted adjacent its front edge on the automobile body. The front door includes an outer door panel 14 which xedly mounts in conventional manner a handle 16. The handle carries a push button and cylinder lock arrangement to be described later which are connected to a remotely located latch 18 which may be of conventional type. The automobile also has a rear door 20 which is hingedly mounted on the automobile body adjacent its front edge and which includes an outer panel 22 which mounts a fixed handle 24. The operating push rod of this handle arrangement may be connected to an operating member on a remotely located rear door latch. A Figs. 2 through 5 show the iront door handle 16 and its door latch operating apparatus. The handle has a gripping portion 26 which is xedly securedto the door outer panel 14 in conventional manner (not shown). The handle has a chamber 28 with a cylindrical wall 30 which projects inside the door through an opening in the l panel 14. The chamber 28 is open at both ends and in the outer end a hollow push button 32 is slidably mounted, being retained against outward movement by complementary flanges 34, 36 on the handle body and push button, respectively. A sealing ring 38 is provided to keep moisture out of the chamber 28.

A conventional locking cylinder 40 is mounted in the push button and may be turned by a key in the usual well known manner to lock and unlock the door.

An operating push rod 42 is connected at its "outer end to the lock cylinder for rotation with the lock cylinder when the key is turned and for inward axial sliding movement when the push button 32 is depressed to release the latch. As shown in the drawings, the inner portion of the push rod is non-circular in transverse section, being uted in the construction illustrated.

A push button return spring 44 in the housing returns the push button and the operating rod to the outermost position illustrated when the operating force 1s removed from the push button.

The inner end of the spring 44 seats on an inturned circumferential ange of a stop washer 46. A support member indicated generally as 48 is mounted in the chamber 28 and abuts the stop washer 46. Fig. 5 shows the configuration of this support member, which comprises a ring portion 50 having a uted bore 52 and Fig. l0 is a section taken along the line 10--10l of Fig. l1; and

Fig. 1l is a view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10. Most outer handles for automobile doors comprise a fixed gripping handle having a chamber in which a having externally projecting stop tabs 54. A bracket 56 is formed integrally with the ring portion 50 and projects out of the housing as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The tabs 54 tit in slots 58 in the chamber wall 30 to hold the support member against rotation, and a snap ring 60 push button is slidably mounted for releasing the latch.

inder) also forms the inboard bearing for the`slidable push rod which releases the latch. The locking pawl is held in place by interlocking bayonet type engagement with a support ring nonrotatably mounted in the handle. This interlocking engagement permits rotation of the locking pawl to lock and unlock the door and at the same time retains the locking pawl against yaxial movement so that the locking pawl may form the inboard slidable bearing for the operating push rod. If desired, the support ring may include a fbracket; :for pivotally seats in a groove in the chamber wall to hold the support member and stop washer in the chamber.

A locking pawl designated generally as 62 is rotatably supported in the lluted bore 52 of the support member. As shown best in Fig. 5, the locking pawl has a body portion 64 with a radial flange 66 and oppositely disposed, radially projecting bayonet type projections 68 spaced axially outwardly from the radial flange. The body64 fits slidably within the central portion of the uted bore 52 of the support member and the bayonet projections 68 are used to prevent axial removal of the pawl from the support while permitting rotative movement of the pawl on the support as afunction of key actuation of the lock cylinder 40. When the parts are assembled, the bayonet` projections 68 are passed through andasse the opposite wings of the fluted bore 52 and then the pawl is rotated to its operative position shown in Fig. 4 wherein the bayonet interlock formed by the projections 68 with the ring portion 50 of the support prevent axial removal of the pawl.

The pawl has a uted bore 70 adapted to slidably receive and be nonrotatably keyed to the uted end of the push rod 42. An integral arm 72 projects from the locking pawl and is connected to a rod 74 which extends down to the locking mechanism of the latch 18 as shown in Fig. 1.

The bracket portion 56 of the support 43 pivotally mounts a bell crank 76 having on one larm a turned ear projecting into the path of sliding movement of the push rod. The other arm of the bell crank is connected to a latch release rod 79 which extends down to the release mechanism of the latch as shown iu Fig. l. 1

When the push button is depressed, the rod 42 slides axially to swing the bell crank and release the latch, the spring 44 returning the parts to the operative position shown when push button pressure is removed. When the key cylinder is turned, the lock pawl swings to actuate the latch locking mechanism through the rod 74. The locking pawl serves the double function of a. lock actuator and a slidable inboard bearing for the push rod, being keyed to the push rod so that it rotates with the push rod but permits slidable movement of the push rod through the bore of the pawl.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show the rear door latch operating apparatus. The gripping handle 24 is iixcdly mounted on the rear outer door panel 22 in conventional manner and the handle is formed with a chamber 80 having cylindrical walls 82. The construction of the latch operating apparatus in the chamber is generally similar to the front door handle of Figs. 2 through 5 except that there is no key cylinder and the locking pawl is modified by the omission of the arm 72. A push button S4 is slidable in the chamber 80 and projects from an opening in the outer side thereof. Sealing ring S6 is provided to keep moisture out of the chamber. In this structure a push rod 8S is connected directly to the push button as shown in Fig. 8. A return spring 90 is provided as in the first embodiment of the invention. A stop washer 92 is carried in the chamber and mounts in a central opening a bushing 94. This bushing performs the equivalent function of the body portion 64 of the stop pawl in Figs. 2 through 5. Since no locking function is necessary in the rear door, the bushing need not perform the locking pawl function of the modification first described and the push rod may be circular in transverse section and need not be keyed to the bushing. Inboard of the stop washer there is a support 96 having an integral bracket portion 98 projecting therefrom. A snap ring 100 holds the operating apparatus in the chamber 80. A bell crank 102 is pivotally mounted at 104 on the bracket 9S and is connected by a rod 106 to the release mechanism of a latch in the door. Inward movement of the push button causes rotation of the bell crank in clockwise direction in Fig. 8 to raise the rod 106 and release the latch.

Figs. 9, and 11 show a modified form of front door latch in which there is no bell crank and in which the push rod directly engages an operating ange on the latch. Since the latch operating apparatus in the housing is similar to that of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, it will not be described again and these similar parts are designated by the same reference characters as appear in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

In this modification of the invention, the push rod 42 has a threaded bore in its end and a threaded adjusting screw 110 is turned into this bore, being held in a selected position by a lock nut 112. The head of the adjusting screw 110 directly engages an operating flange 114 on the door latch which .is located directly adjacent the handle 4rather than below the handle as in Fig. '1. 75

The operation is similar to that described in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. Operation of the push button causes inward sliding movement of the push rod 42 which in turn causes direct actuation and release of the latch. Turning the key cylinder swings the lock pawl to lock and unlock the latch. As in the modification of Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the lock pawl serves the double function of a lock pawl and a sliding inward bearing for the push rod.

An important feature of the invention is its adaptability for use in various types of door latch installations with only slight modifications of the parts. The latch may be used for remote actuation (Figs. 2-5) or direct actuation (Figs. 9-ll) with no changes in the structure except the addition of the adjusting screw and the elimination of the bell crank. The structure may be used in a rear door where there is no outside operated lock merely by the substitution of a bushing which lacks the swinging arm of the lock pawl.

Another advantage of the structure is the interlocking mounting of the lock pawl (or the bushing of Figs. 6, 7 and 8) on the support to permit pivotal movement of the lock pawl and at the same time permit axial movement of the pawl so that the parts are held in the chamber.

While we have shown and described several embodiments of our invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. Door latch operating apparatus of the character described, including: a handle member having a chamber therein; a push button assembly slidably mounted in said chamber and projecting out of one end thereof; an operating rod connected to said push button assembly and extending through said chamber; a locking pawl swingably mounted in said chamber adjacent the other end thereof, said pawl forming a bearing slidably supporting said rod and said pawl having an operating portion projecting out of said chamber; latch release means adapted to be engaged by said rod upon slidable movement thereof; and means movable by the operating portion of said pawl upon swinging movement thereof and adapted to actuate a latch locking means.

2. Door latch operating apparatus of the character described, including: a handle member having a chamber therein; a push button slidably mounted in said chamber and projecting out of one end thereof; a lock cylinder mounted in said push button for rotation relative to said handle; an operating rod connected to said lock cylinder and extending through said chamber, said rod being longitiudinally slidable by said push button and rotatable by said lock cylinder; a locking pawl swingably mounted in said chamber adjacent the other end thereof, said pawl being slidably keyed to said rod and forming a bearing slidably supporting said rod, and said pawl having an operating portion projecting out of said chamber; latch release means adapted to be engaged by said rod upon slidable movement thereof; and means movable by the operating portion of said pawl upon swinging movement thereof and adapted to actuate a latch locking means.

3. Door latch operating apparatus of the character described, including: a handle member having a chamber therein; a push button assembly slidably mounted in said chamber and projecting out of one end thereof; an operating rod connected to said push button assembly and extending through said chamber, said operating rod being tinted adjacent its free cnd when viewed in transverse section; a locking pawl swingably mounted in said chamber adjacent the free end. of said rod, said pawl having a bore through which said rod extends whereby said pawl forms a bearing slidably supporting said rod and rotatable with said rod, and said pawl having an operating portion projecting out of said chamber; 'latch release means adapted to be engaged by said rod upon slidable movement thereof; and means movable by the operating portion of. said pawl upon swinging movement thereof and adapted to actuate a latch locking means.

4. Door latch operating apparatus of the character described, including: a handle member having a chamber therein; a push button slidably mounted in said chamber and projecting out of one end thereof; a lock cylinder mounted in said push button for rotation relative to said handle; an operating rod connected to said lock cylinder and extending through said chamber, said rod being longitudinally slidable by said push button and rotatable by said lock cylinder, and said rod having a key portion adjacent its free end; a locking pawl swingably mounted in said chamber adjacent the other end thereof, said pawl having a bore through which said rod extends whereby the pawl is slidably keyed to the rod and forms a bearing slidably supporting said rod, and said pawl having an operating portion projecting out of said chamber; latch release means adapted to be engaged by said rod upon slidable movement thereof; and means movable by the operating portion of said pawl upon swinging movement thereof and adapted to actuate a latch locking means.

5. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 4, wherein the latch release means comprises a bell crank.

6. Door latch operating apparatus of the character described, including: a handle member having a chamber therein; a push button assembly slidably mounted in said Cil chamber and projecting out of one end thereof; an operating rod connected to said push button assembly and extending through said chamber; a support ring nonrotatably mounted in said chamber adjacent the other end thereof; a locking pawl swingably mounted on said support ring, said pawl forming a bearing slidably sup porting said rod and said pawl having an operating portion projecting out of said chamber; latch release means adapted to be engaged by said rod upon slidable movement thereof; and means movable by the operating portion of said pawl upon swinging movement thereof and adapted to actuate a latch locking means.

7. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 6, wherein said support ring and said handle have complementary locking portions to prevent rotation of the support ring in the chamber.

8. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 6, wherein said support ring and said locking pawl have interlocking bayonet projections allowing rotation of the pawl in the chamber and preventing movement of said pawl in directions axial of said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,604,346 Allen July 22, 1952 2,605,630 Keeler Aug. 5, 1952 2,773,376 Wartian Dec. 11, 1956 

